Combination controlled night latch



July 21, 1953 E. M. MILLER COMBINATION CONTRLLED NIGHT LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Marn 11, 1948 wem-0R A [ou/Ano M M/LLER @Y 74 7%@ @abn/gama Arron/vers July 21, 1953 E. M. MILLER COMBINATION coNI'RoLLED NIGHT LATCH 3 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Filed IMarch 11, 1948 Arron/srs July 21, 1953 E. M. MILLER COMBINATION CONTROLLED NIGHT LATCH 3 Sheets-Shea?l 5 Filed March 1l, 1948 /NVENToR f'owAnp A1. 1l/.LEA @Y @rw-I Patented July 21,r 1953 COMBINATION CONTROLLED NIGHT LATCH Edward M. Miller, Kent, Ohio, assignor to `The C. L. Gougler Machine Company, Kent, hio,

a corporation of Ohio Application March 11, 1948, Serial No. 14,341 T Claims. 1

tion, but in which the lock bolt can be withdrawn by a simple turning movement of the inside knob, independently of the combination mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock of the character indicated in the two preceding paragraphs, which is of simple yet sturdy character, and which can be quickly and economieally fabricated and assembled, in large part from sheet and rod stock.

A `further object of the invention, in a lock of the character above indicated, is to provide combination mechanism of the circuitous cam and 'follower type, novel dogging means normally preventing bolt retraction by the outside knob but responsive to proper operation of the combination, and novel bolt retracting linkage actuatable either after suitable movement of the clogging means or after suitable turning movement of the inside knob.

A further object of the invention, in a lock of the character above indicated, is to provide a locking bolt normally impelled to locking engagement with a keeper, a bolt-retracting lever swingable on a pvot, a bolt-retracting link pivotally hung on said lever and having a lost motion connection to said bolt, means for moving said lever l responsive to operation of an outside knob, combination means which, when suitably operated, permits operative engagement between said outside knob and said lever, and additional means for moving said lever responsive to operation of an inside knob.

A further objectof the invention is the provision of an outside knob operatively engageable' Fig. 2 is a front elevational view taken from the left of Fig. i, and showing the inside door knob.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, enlarged approxif nlately three times, taken'on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4 is a sectionalview-taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. f

f Figs. 5 and'6 aresectionalviews similar to Fig. 4 but showing different working positions of certain operating elements.

Fig. 7 is a `sectional view taken on the line 1-1 Ofpig.3. n j l y' l y.

Figs. 8, 9 and 1Q are sectional views similar to Fig. '7, but showing different Working positions of certain operatingelements; l

Fig. 11 isa sideqelevational view taken from the position of the line ll-ll'of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 isa perspective view of a latch ybolt lever and cooperating bolt-retracting link; l

Fig. 13 is a perspectiveview of a latch bolt dogging lever; and l -f I n Figs. 14, l5, and 16 are sectional views taken respectively on the n' lines |4-l4, |5-I5 and lf-lliofFigS.v m f Speaking rst generally, the lock means nowto be described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, is mounted in a door 20 in conventional fashion. vThe door is provided with a cylindrical opening 20ay (Fig. 3) extending inwardly from the door edge, and a cylindricaltransverse aperture extendsthrough the door between its inner and Youter faces to communicate with the rst named opening. A latch Vbolt 2l is shown in Fig. 3, and in fragmentary fashion in Figs. '7 to 1K0 inclusive.' It extends through opening 20a, through a suitable aperture in a face plate 22, and, when Vthe door is locked, it projects into 'keeper aperture inthe door jamb 23.

Since thef-inventive concept herev to be disclosed is independent of the latch' bolt construction; further description of the bolt is not considered necessary, 4although I prefer a bolt of the novel-character disclosed and claimed in my copendingv fapplication, Serial No. 14,342, filed March 11, 1948, now,Patent No. 2,549,983, dated April 24, 195,1.k It is suflicient here to note that the inner end'of the latch bolt is provided with an aperture 24 adapted to receive a' pin 25 car- Vried by a latch bolt retracting link 26. Link 26 is pivotally secured to a bolt-operating lever 21 "which, as` will appear, vis operatable from the vinner door knob Z8, or outer door knob 29 (Fig.

Operations by theiinner or outer knob are "independent of each other. `The'latch bolt is provided with spring means not shown for normally maintaining it in projected position, in enga-gement with its keeper.

The combination mechanism is housed in a cup 33 which has a friction iit in the transverse aperture in the door. The cup 33 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced out turned tabs 34 adapted to cooperate with complementary inturned tabs 35 on the cap 36 in a bayonet joint connection. The combination mechanism is enclosed between the cup bottom 31, and a cup cover plate 38 which carriesrsad mechanism.

Extending inwardly from the cup bottom towards inner door knob 26 are 1a 'pair'ofdiametrically opposed posts 39, 36a "(Fig. -ll) reach-'of which is axially drilled and tapped to receive the shanks of a pair of lock-retainingrserews 40. 'I'he inner opening to the lock retaining aperture is closed by a plate 43 through which screwsr 46 pass. Plate 43 likewise 4has spaced breech lock tabs 44 somewhat oiset from the plane of the major portion ofthe plate to permit Vthe insertion between tabs 44 and the door face of complementary inturned tabs 45'on-an inner cap 46. Cap 46 may be applied or removed in familiar breech lock or bayonet joint fashion by matching the tabs on one 'memberwith the spaces between tabs on the other member, and then turning cap 46 sufficiently to effect the engagement.

Before cap 46 is Yassembled onplate 43, the apertures in the plate are aligned with the threaded bores in posts 39, and 33a. `The screws 40 are then inserted and drawn up until the door is tightly gripped betweenplate 43 and the tabs 35 on cap 36. Cap 46 may then be applied, and the assembly operation is complete.

The operation of the lock by means of the inner knob 26 will rst be described. The bolt operating lever 21 is channel shaped in cross section, as best seen in Fig. 12, having flanges 21a and 2lb which, near oneend thereof, are provided with aligned apertures 41 permitting the lever to be rotatably carried on post 39a. The latch bolt retracting link 26 is pivotally secured to flange 21h near the free end of-lever21. The flange 21a has a detentrecess 46 approached by means of a cam track 46a Aon vthe edge of the flange (Fig. 12). A cup 49, substantially equal in diameter to previously described cup 33, serves as a cover for lever 21, and carries the lever manipulating member L56. Said member comprises a spindle 53 having aiiixed thereto a pair of spaced collars 54, 55 closely iltted, one'each side of the bottom wall wall of cup 49,so that spindle 53 and its collars are rotatable'on the said bottom wall. The inner collar 55 is provided Vwith a finger projection 56. When the spindle and collars are rotated inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 9, the nger 56 rides down cam track 46a and seats in detent recess 46, thereby swinging lever 21 so as to retract link 26 and bolt2 I. While linger 56 is in recess 46 the spindle position is stable, being on the longitudinal center line of bolt movement, and the bolt remains retracted since the spring 2Ia which urges the bolt to projected position cannot produce rotation of collar'55 by afstraight pull. However, if the spindle 53 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10, nger 56 abuts the uncammed edge portion 51 of lever leg 21a,but the finger can never reach detent`4'6 because, before it does so, the heel 56 of lever 21 abuts the inner wall of cut 49. Therefore in the position shown inFig. 10, the outward bias byispring 2l'a exerted on lever 21 through bolt 2|, pin 25, 'sind vlink .26 .nd

4 finger 56 off the center line of the applied force, and the pressure of lever edge 51 against finger 56 rotates the collar 55 when bolt-retracting torque is no longer applied to spindle 53 thereby permitting bolt 2| to move outwardly.

The spindle 53 is actuated by rotation of inner knob 29, Fig. 3, since in the embodiment shown the spindle 53. has a square .end portion 53a, and the knob is provided with an inward tubular extension 59, squared at its inner end to telescope over the spindle.

-From what hasbeen so far described, it will be apparent that the linkage comprising lever 21, link 26 andbolt-Zican be retained in temporarily retractedpositionby rotation of inner knob 26 in'one direction until finger 56 seats in detent recess. as shown in Fig. 9, and that this position is maintained until knob 26 is turned backwards to normal, door-locked position. Rotation of knob 28 in the other direction to a positively stopped `position with finger 56 as shown in Fig. l0, .onlyxholds bolt 2| retracted as long asknob 26 is held, :but when the knob is released the bolt springs outwardly, the parts being then as shown' in Fig. '1.

Themeans whereby lever 21 is actuated from the outer knob 29 of the door will now be described.

The transverse wall 31 which forms the bottom of cup 33 is centrally perforated to receive a rotatable grommet 62 having fixed thereto, on the side next to 'the lever 21, a rotatable plate 63 carrying a pin 64. Pin 64 engages the flange 211) of lever .21 in the same manner that finger "56 engaged the 'ange 21a, except that there is no detent recesss'in flange 21b, and therefore rotation of plate 63 actuates lever 21 to withdraw bolt 2 I, but the bolt is held in retracted position only asv long as outer knob 29 is held in lever- Yretracting position.

The grommet 62 has a square aperture -65 therethrough, adapted toreceivea square spindle 66 xed in the outer knob 23. Normally a dog lever'61 of plate form prevents operative engagement between spindle 66 and aperture 65, and the combination mechanism described below is devised to cause removal `of the dog lever 61 to permit such engagement.

A cam plate 68 (Figs. 3 and 16) isrotatably carried within cupf33, having a hub 69 extending outwardly through a central aperture in cover plate 39. The cam plate has a square central aperture to receive, and be rotated by, spindle 56. Cover plate 36 carries a pair of pins 16, 16a, pin 16supporting a leaf spring 13 having a nose portion 14 engageable with detent recesses 15 in the cam plate periphery. Obviously, rotation of the cam plate encounters resistance to motion, and there is a detectable click each time nose 14 enters a recess 15.

Cam plate 66 has integral therewith a plurality of cams 16 extending at diverse angles to each other, rand defining therebetween a tortuous path whereby a cam following pin, normally at the center, can be urged outwardly toward the periphery by proper rotation of the cam plate. Certain combination elements Yherein described are conventional, but a description of the whole mechanism will clarify the operation.

Dog 61 is of crescent-like shape and has an aperture 61a in one tip thereof whereby it is rotatably mounted on post '10, as best seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It is normally biased to the position shown in Fig. .4 by a spring 11 fixed to the dog and to post 16a. The dog has a' boss16 provided with an aperture 19 which can be aligned with grommet aperture 65 and spindle 66 when the dog is forced, against'spring bias, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that in Fig. 6. In the latter positionspindle 66 can'be inserted through aperture 19 inthe dog, and into its socket in the aperture 65 of the grommet, whereupon rotation of knob 29 can retract the bolt as previously described. l

Swinging of ldog lever 61 is accomplished by a swingable arm 80, rotatably mountedy on pin 10. The free end of the farm engages a tab83 struck up from dog 61. Counterclockwise movement of arm 80 (Figs. 4 to 6)"swings'dog 61 counterclockwise. Arm 80 has a cam-following pin 84 adapted to be engaged by onefor otherof cams 16 as the cam pla-te is rotated, and, as will be readily understood by those'skilled in the art', three or four alternations in direction ofv rotation, each one effected by 'a predetermined number of click stops, forcesthe pin outwardly from a central position until it` finally climbs the hill on cam 16a (Fig. 16) atwhich time arm 88 has forced dog 61 to the positionshown in Fig. 5. At this time, inward pressure on knob 29, against the bias of spring 85 causes spindle 66 to pass through the aperture 19 in dog k61, and enter aperture 65 in grommet 62. 'Rotation of the knob then rotates the grommet, causing the `pin 64 carried thereby to rotate lever 21 and, through link 26, to withdrawbolt 2|. The nal position of pin 6.4 when ythe lock bolt is fullly withdrawn, is shown in Fig. 8. i

Rotation of the grommet 62 produces a further eiect.v The rotatable grommet plate 63 has a tab 86 extending backwardly through bottom plate 31 into cup 33. When the grommet is being rotated, this tab contacts the outeredge of arm 60 and as the tab moves from the broken line position to the full line position of Fig. 6, the arm 89 is thrown back `to starting `position with the cam-following pin 84 near the center of the cam plate. l y

The only thing ynow holding the dog lever aperture 19 in bolt-operating alignment is the fact that spindle 66 still extends through it and into the grommet. As soon as the grommet has been turned to retract the bolt 2 I, and the door has been opened to prevent re-engagement of the bolt with the keeper kaperture in the door jamb, the hand may be removedpfrom knob v29. The knob is freely slidable in shell 36 (Fig. 3) and spring 85 snaps the knob with spindle 66 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the spindle tip passes out of the aperture 19 in dog 61, the dog is pulled by its spring 11, back to the position shown in Fig. 4, and to again retract the bolt by means of knob 29 the combination must again be operated.

Cup 33 is prevented from rotation with respect to its cover plate 38 by the fact that .'pins and 10a pass through the bottom wall 31 of the cup. A leaf spring 81 on the innerl face of wall 31 impinges on arm 88 and maintains the cam following pin 84 in tight working engagement with the cam plate 68. Another leaf spring 88 (Fig. 13) is fixed on dog 61 and abuts the inner face of the wall 31 to maintain the feet 69 of the dog in sliding engagement with the inner face of wall 38.

The rotational starting point of the combination lock may be controlled in a number of conventional ways, the one here used being best shown in Figs. 3 and 14. The hub- 69 of cam plate 68 extends through cover -p'late 38, and has a smooth` cylindrical portion69a and a splined portion 69h. A nat washer 93 is freely rotatable on the cylindrical portion andhas two tabs 93a and 93h.` Therotation of washer 93 is stopped by abutment of tab 93a witha stop 94 struck up from plate 38. A splined washer 95 of cup` like form is interlockable with the splined portion 69h, so that itmay be iixed in any one of anumber of .preselected positions on the hub, depending on the number of complementary splines on washer and hub.' Washer95 has'an outturned tab 95a which clears stop 94 but which abuts the upturned tabl93b on Washerf'93.k It will be apparent that rotation of knoby 29, so as to rotate hub 69, for example counterclockwise in Fig. 14, will produce abutment of tab 95a with tab 931), and thereafter washer 93 will be carried coun- .tei-clockwise until tab .93a abuts stop 94.

' In the embodiment shown there are ten possible angularly varying splined interlocks bef tween washer 95 yand hub 69, and it will be apparent lthat the starting point yof the combination operation maybe varied as desired by lifting washer 95 from splined'engagement and replacing itin a different angular position.

From a consideration of the description yand drawings it will be evident that the lock struc-- ture hereinabove disclosed lends itself readilyto sim-ple installation, particularly in Wooden doors. The complete mechanism, with the exception yof thebolt and knobs, is containedwithin a .reciproca-.ted in another` cylindrical aperture extending inwardly from the door edge to com- 'municate with the transverse aperture.

In assemblingthe lock infthe door aperture, the combination mechanism comprisingv the cam plate 68 and dog lever 61 arefdisposed in cup 3,3, and cover plate 38 is applied, thereto with its bayonet `ioint tabs in alignment with those of the cup. The combination-setting washers are assembled on hub 69, and knob 29 with-its spindie 66 and spring 85,-are 'disposed in shell 36 vwhich is then clamped on the rbayonet joints on the .cup and cover plate. vLever. 21 is then pivotally mounted oncpost 39a. f

- 'I'he unit thus built up is inserted from vthe outer side of the door until the inner face of bayonet lugs 35 abut the outerface of the door around the transverse opening. The bolt 2| is inserted inwardly from the door edge through a suitable, housing in aperture 20a and its inner end is hooked over pin 25 on link 26 carried by lever 21. Cup 49 is then inserted from the inside face of the door until it rests on the transverse wall consisting of` the bottom 31 of cup 33. Inner cover plate 43 is then placed over the inner end of the transverse aperture, with its edges abutting the aperture edge, and its bayonetk joint lugs spaced from the door face. Screws 40 are inserted and drawn up. Finally bayonet `lugs 44 and 45 are engaged, and the assembly is axial movement 'of saidspIndle, 'a vcombination mechanism, and releasemeans responsive to suitable operation of said combination mechanism so as to'rexnove said obstruction means whereby said opera-tor may be moved'axially to'produce operative engagement `of'said spindle and said retractor and :means responsive to retraction of said latch bolt `for returning ysaid obstruction means to said normal position upon axial movement of said spindlefrom said engaged position to said normal position.

'2. vIn a lock ofthe ,type Ldescribed, a latch bolt, a bolt operator connected 'with said bolt and having a non-circular opening, ka knob, a stem operatively connected with` said knob, said stem being complementary in shape to said `opening and adapted to tthereima dog plate fmovably mounted between said stem and said operator, there being an opening through said dog plate adapted to pass said stem, means normally urging said dog plate to position itssaid opening 'nonregistering withsadvstem, and combination lock means operableby said knob operatively ccnnected with said 'dog plate for moving the latter to position its said opening in registration with said stem.

3. `A door lock of the `character described comprising a retractable latch bolt, a bolt retractor, a door knob, a spindle carried by said door knob, said retractor being normally out of operative contact with said spindle, said knob being mounted for axia-l'movement to cause operative engagement between said retractor and said spindle, said door knob being rotatable to operate said retractor when operative engagement, as aforesaid, has been eiiected, a movable dog normally interposed between said spindle and said retractor whereby to prevent axial movement of said knob and spindle, a combination mechanism operable by saidknob, and said dog being movable responsive lto proper operation of said combination mechanism whereby to permit axial advance of saidl spindle to engagement with said retractor.

4. A door lock of the character described comprising a retractable latch bolt, a bolt retractor, a door knob, a spindle carried by said door knob, said retractor beingnormallyout of operative contact with said spindle, said knob being mounted for axial movement to cause operative engagement between said retractor and said spindle, said door. knob being rotatable'to operate said retractor when operative engagement, as aforesaid, has been eii'ected, a movable dog normally interposed between said spindle and said retractor whereby to prevent axial movement of said knob and spindle, a combination mechanism coaxially mounted on said spindle, and said dog being movable responsive to proper operation of said combination mechanism whereby to permit axial advance of said spindle to engagement with said retractor.

5. A door lock of the character described comprising a retractable latch bolt, a lock operator adapted to be manually operated, a latch bolt retractor, a spindle rotatably and axially movable responsive `to said lock operator, said spindle being Vnormally `out of operative contact with said `retractor but being operatively engageable with said retractor when said operator is moved axially, obstruction means pivotally mounted about a different axis than said spindle and normally preventingaxial movement of said spindle, a combination mechanism. operable by said lock operator, and releasemeans responsive to suitable operation of said combination mechanism so as to remove said obstruction means whereby said operator may be moved axially to produce operative engagement of said spindle and said retractor.

EDWARD M. MILLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES-PATENTS Number Name Date 536,666 Tucker Apr. 2, 1895 720,986 Voight Feb. 17, 1903 914,819 Gagnon Mar. 9, 1909 942,553 Hamilton Dec. 7, 1909 1,372,103 Stanley Mar. 22, 1921 1,564,635 Smith Dec. 8, 1925 1,642,313 Smith Sept. 13, 1927 1,816,259 Lande July 28, 1931 l 1,816,575 Full July 28, 1931 2,157,853 Heyer May 9, 1939 2,304,612 Voight Dec. 8, 1942 2,342,944 Kretske Feb. 29, 1944 2,454,928 Kalwo Nov. 30, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 369,553 Germany Feb. 20, 1923 

